russell.] IRRIGATION AND AGRICULTURE. 29 
snow may furnish the proper conditions to permit the growing of 
wheat and other cereals without irrigation. This experiment is at 
least worth trying. 
As agriculture is at present entirely dependent on irrigation, culti- 
vated land occurs only where water from streams and springs can be 
obtained. Not only is the presence of sufficient water a controlling 
factor, but the topography and the nature of the soil must also be taken 
into account. The portions of the Snake River Plains first brought 
under irrigation are those where the conditions are most favorable 
for small enterprises. These are the flood plains of the small streams 
from the mountains, and points where springs can be utilized. Later, 
came more extensive systems, involving the construction of extensive 
canals and necessitating the employment of a large amount of capital 
and labor. The small ditches were constructed by individuals, or by 
small groups of ranchers, and the canals by communities or incor- 
porated companies. One result of the conditions met with is the isola- 
tion of many individual ranches and of small groups of ranches 
situated along a single stream. The construction of canals led to an 
increase in the size of the communities, and in some instances to the 
growth of considerable towns. 
The widely separated individual ranches or small groups of ranches 
are situated mostly where the streams from the mountains emerge onto 
the plains, and frequently extenc as far up the mountain valleys as 
flood plains occur. In a similar way the springs in Snake River Canyon 
have in several instances been utilized, and single ranches or small 
groups of ranches forming a fringe along the river's banks, mostly on 
its northern side, occur from near Shoshone Falls westward. 
The most important communities have grown up along irrigation 
canals. Typical illustrations of the results of a favorable combination 
of conditions in this connection occur near the junction of the North 
and South forks of Snake River, in the northeastern portion of the 
Snake River Plains, where the streams are upbuilding their channels 
and spreading out broad alluvial fans. The South Fork, before its 
waters were so largely diverted into canals, divided into several 
branches, the positions of which were liable to change during each 
high-water stage, and furnished unusual facilities for irrigation. In 
the region referred to, or in a general way, between St. Anthon}^ and 
Idaho Falls, including lands on each side of Snake River in the vicinity 
of Market Lake and extending far up the South Fork, there are a 
large number of ranches on which grain and hay are successfully cul- 
tivated, as well as orchards and gardens. There are several flourish- 
ing villages in this section also, and evidence of prosperity and thrift 
are abundant. By no means all of the good land that can be irrigated 
is under cultivation, however, and still greater results can be confi- 
dently predicted. 
